Winter Beer Festival draws record crowd | News

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COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. (WZZM) - It wasn't baseball but beer that people celebrated at Fifth Third Ballpark Saturday.

Up to 6,000 people were expected to take part in the 8th annual Winter Beer Festival. The event featured a staggering 625 different brews.

"Tickets sold out much quicker even though there were more [tickets available]," said Scott Graham, who is the Michigan Brewers Guild's executive director. "We certainly have a record crowd and everybody's having a good time."

A few of the 74 Michigan breweries featured in this year's festival made the long trip from the upper peninsula.

"We're looking to grow and wanted to get a vibe of what the downstate market was like and how they would be receptive to us," said David Manson, who works for a Marquette brewery.

Revenue from festivals like this help cover operation costs for the Michigan's Brewers Guild.